Sunday, November 8, 2009

... there was this land of Hokies, "Blacksburg", often known as a football town with a drinking problem. I was invited to this land far far away (from India) to pursue my dreams of becoming a bioinformatician. With my mind already set on a PhD in Bioinformatics, I already knew what courses I had to take and the professor under whom I wanted to work. There was not even one fellow graduate student who did not ask me about my early decision to pursue bioinformatics. Thinking I had a head start over everyone else who were just beginning to think about their area of research, I started my semester happily...

I came to Blacksburg 2 weeks before the sem started because I had to attend the orientation programmes for new International, Graduate Students and Teaching Assistants. My aunts and uncle from NY were sweet enough to arrange for a road trip to drop me off at college and settle me down in an apartment. Once they left the real solitude set in. I looked outside my window, but could not catch a glimpse of anyone... It seemed weird after spotting a 100 heads anytime I looked out the window of my room in Bangalore. I knew I needed to make some friends immediately... So I waited eagerly for a chance to meet some real people.

It was Day 2 at Blacksburg. I was one fine, bright and sunny summer morning in Virginia. I had to go to the medical center to get my medical check up done so that I can start registering for the semester. I got ready and went across the street to take the bus to the university. It was going to my first time taking a bus in USA. I stood there nervously wondering which stop I should get down. Then came the bus and I got in. I turned on my radar to start detecting potential friends. As I was scanning the bus, my radar just stopped abruptly at one spot and refused to scan any further... My..My... I set out to fish on the perfect day, 'cos my radar had detected an attractive young man!!